Ai Miyazato wins Safeway Classic, leaps to No. 1

Ai Miyazato, of Japan, waves to the crowd after making her putt on the second hole during the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic golf tournament at Pumpkin Ridge, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in North Plains, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
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Ai Miyazato, of Japan, waves to the crowd after making her putt on the second hole during the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic golf tournament at Pumpkin Ridge, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in North Plains, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
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Suzann Pettersen, of Norway, hits to the ninth green during the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic golf tournament at Pumpkin Ridge, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in North Plains, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
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Ai Miyazato, of Japan, poses with the trophy after winning the Safeway Classic golf tournament after the final round of the LPGA tournament at Pumpkin Ridge, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in North Plains, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)— AP

Ai Miyazato, of Japan, poses with the trophy after winning the Safeway Classic golf tournament after the final round of the LPGA tournament at Pumpkin Ridge, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in North Plains, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
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Ai Miyazato, of Japan, poses with the trophy after winning the Safeway Classic golf tournament after the final round of the LPGA tournament at Pumpkin Ridge, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in North Plains, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)— AP

Ai Miyazato, of Japan, poses with the trophy after winning the Safeway Classic golf tournament after the final round of the LPGA tournament at Pumpkin Ridge, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in North Plains, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
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Cristie Kerr lines up her putt on the 4th hole during the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic golf tournament at Pumpkin Ridge, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in North Plains, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)— AP

Cristie Kerr lines up her putt on the 4th hole during the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic golf tournament at Pumpkin Ridge, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in North Plains, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
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Ai Miyazato, Japan, chips to the third green during the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic golf tournament at Pumpkin Ridge, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in North Plains, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)— AP

Ai Miyazato, Japan, chips to the third green during the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic golf tournament at Pumpkin Ridge, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in North Plains, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
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PORTLAND, Ore. 
Ai Miyazato was in uncharacteristic territory to start the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic.

She was nervous.

While Miyazato normally appears composed, the jitters were evident when the Japanese star bogeyed the par-4 second hole on the Ghost Creek Course at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Then she bogeyed the par-4 seventh.

It wasn't until a birdie on the par-5 ninth hole that she steadied herself - and cruised to her fifth victory of the year. Miyazato, who also led after the first two rounds, closed with an even-par 72 to finish at 11 under.

"Today was a really tough day," she said. "I was really nervous on the front nine. But after nine holes I made a birdie and it gave me a good kick."

With the win, Miyazato reclaimed the top spot in the world rankings, swiping that status from Cristie Kerr, who finished two strokes back along with Na Yeon Choi.

Kerr chased Miyazato throughout the final round until hitting into the water on the par-4 18th. The American finished with a 70, while Choi shot a 71.

Miyazato, ranked No. 1 for a week in June and again for a week in July, is among five players who have been jockeying for the top ranking, including Kerr, Jiyai Shin, Suzann Pettersen and Yani Tseng. The spot came up for grabs when Lorena Ochoa retired earlier this season.

"My goal at the start of this year was to become Player of the Year. So I'm aiming for that," she said. "Everybody is so close at the top, so I don't really know what is going to happen. But it's a good motivator for me.

The Safeway Classic, in its second year at Pumpkin Ridge about a 20-minute drive west of Portland, was marred Saturday when veteran Juli Inkster, in strong position to contend in the final round, was disqualified.

The 50-year-old Hall of Famer used a weighted training aid on her club to stay loose while waiting for 30 minutes to make the turn at the 10th hole. That broke rule 14-3, which meant disqualification.

Miyazato and Kim, playing in the final pairing of the day, battled on the back nine holes after Kim pulled even with Miyazato with a jaw-dropping chip from under a tree to birdie the par-3 11th. But Kim dropped two shots with bogeys on the 13th and 14th holes.

In the pairing in front of them, Kerr missed a chance to pull even with Miyazato by misjudging a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 17. Her chances slipped away with the shot into the water on the final hole.

"I just said to myself, `How could you do that?'" she said.

Kerr has won twice on the tour this season, at the LPGA Championship and the State Farm Classic. She won the Safeway Classic in 2008 when it was at Columbia Edgewater Country Club near Portland International Airport.

"I'm not going to be far off as far as points, so this was an important week for me to finish up there even if I didn't win," she said.